~BENJAMIN F. W .PARKER~

The third son of Elder John Parker and Sarah "Sallie" (White) Parker.

Benjamin's first marriage was to Patsy "Sally" Stewman in Tennessee. To this union was born a son, Benjamin Parker,JR. According to family records, Sally Parker died during child birth or shortly after the birth of Benjamin Junior.

His second marriage was to Susannah (Robertson) Parker.

They were married December 11, 1812 in Sumner County, Tennessee by, David Wilson, Bondsman

To this union was born twelve children.

{Parker History in Illinois}

The Parker Families mirated as a unit from Georgia to Tennessee in 1803, and from Tennessee to Illinois in 1819.

Benjamin Parker, built the first log cabin, and thus became the first actual settler in Coles County, Illinois. That cabin was built on the east bank of the Embarras River.

It has been said, "The first apple orchard in Coles County was set out about 1830 by Benjamin Parker."

Benjamin first came to Texas in early Spring of 1833 with brothers, James, Daniel and Joseph to explore and consider the new country for settlement. But decided not to make the move the permanent move. In the fall of 1835 after the death of his wife Susannah, in Illinois, Benjamin left nine of his thirteen children in the care of his brother Nathaniel, while he again came to Texas to seek a new beginning. Accompanied by his father, Elder John Parker and his wife, Sarah Parker the former Mrs. Duty.

Elder John Parker's group settled near the headwaters of the Navasota River, and built a fort for protection against Native Americans. Fort Parker was made about two miles west of present-day Groesbeck, Limestone County, Texas, by Elder John Parker (1758–1836), his sons, Benjamin, Silas and James, plus other members of the Pilgrim Predestinarian Baptist Church of Crawford County, Illinois.

On May 19, 1836, Fort Parker was attacked by several hundred Caddo, Comanche and Kiowa. They killed several of it's inhabitants.

Benjamin F.W. Parker was one of the five that was killed during the Indian raid. He is buried under an oak tree in a mass grave, approximately one and one half miles from the fort.

Today, the area is known as the Fort Parker Memorial Park, and many relatives of the families are interred there too.

Bio by: Martha Yates Vandver, the Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter of Benjamin F. W. Parker

Sources:

Illinois Statistics-County (Land) Area

Illinois History Timelines, 1768-1868

History Of Coles County, Illinois,

by Charles E. Wilson

"Return The Parker Story", by Jack K. Selden